Having just finished my second playthrough of Persona 3 Portable, I was prompted to think about my life - what I dread and what I hope for.
I dread many things: death, the afterlife, being alone forever, hurting and alienating the people I love, never reviving my dreams, never feeling any genuine joy or happiness ever again...
But I realised one thing: those fears are only as real as I make them. If I don't give them credence or believe in them, they cease to exist. Of course, the issues are there. But why should I live in fear?
I remember that one pivotal scene, amongst many others, in P3P, where Mitsuru Kirijo's father dies abruptly and without much buildup. The sheer emotion contained in that scene, especially coming from someone as seeming reserved and aloof as Mitsuru, is just overwhelming. I still cry when I think about it sometimes. But Mitsuru is a great example of how strong the will to live can be - to me, she's more than just a video game character, she is almost like a living, breathing person and if there was one cameo I would love to see in future Persona instalments, it would be her.
I only have one thing left to say: I will burn my dread.
